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June 18, 1963 R. SELF METHOD OF MANIPULATING ARTICLES Original Filed Sept. 3, 1957 5 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR fiLZZJeZj E' ATTORNEY June 18, 1963 R. L. SELF METHOD OF MANIPULATING ARTICLES Original Filed Sept. 3, 1957 m T m V m ATTORNEY Unite States 3,093,896 METHUD F MANIPULATING ARTICLES Robert L. Self, Burlington, Nil, assignor to Western Electric Company, incorporated, New York, N.Y., a corporation of New Yuri:

Original application Sept. 3, I957, Ser. No. 631,576, new Patent No. 2,996,796, dated Aug. 22, 1961. Divided and this application Sept. 6, 1960, Ser. No. 56,623

6 Claims. (Cl. 29--4Stl) This invention relates to articles and methods of manipulating articles and more particularly to soft rubber grommets and methods of assembling soft rubber grommets in openings formed in workpieces.

This application is a division of copending application Serial No. 681,576, filed September 3, 1957, and entitled Apparatus for Manipulating Articles.

Soft rubber grommets are commonly used as insulative retainers for electric wires passed through openings in metallic workpieces. A conventional type of grommet used for this purpose is generally tubular in configuration and is provided with enlarged peripheral flanges at either end which are larger in diameter than the opening formed in the workpiece. Conventional methods of assembling such grommets in workpiece openings have proved to be not entirely satisfactory if the workpiece is relatively fragile and small.

An object of this invention is to provide new and improved articles and methods of assembling articles.

Another object of this invention is to provide new and improved soft rubber grommets and methods of assem- Jling soft rubber grommets in the apertures formed in workpieces.

An article and method illustrating certain features of be present invention may include the steps of engaging t first peripheral portion of a tubular grommet near one and thereof and tucking the engaged portion into the lOllOW interior of the grommet, and compressing other aeripheral portions of the grommet adjacent to the first Jortion so as to capture the first portion in its tucked aosition to produce a grommet having the effective diam- :ter of the thus deformed end substantially less than the gaming in a workpiece.

A complete understanding of the invention may be had tom the following detailed description of a specific emiodiment thereof when read in conjunction with the aptended drawings, wherein:

FIG. 1 is a plan view of apparatus embodying the nvention;

FIG. 2 is a side elevation of the apparatus, parts thereif being broken away for clarity;

FIG. 3 is an irregular vertical sectional view taken [long the line 3--3 of FIG. 2 in the direction of the LIiOWS;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary horizontal sectional 'iew taken substantially along the line 44 of FIG. 3 n the direction of the arrows;

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary view, partially in ection, of a portion of the apparatus showing a gromnet in position prior to being engaged by a tucking finger; FIG. 6 is a view of portions of the apparatus shown it FIG. 5 showing in solid outline the initial engagement if the top flange of the grommet by the tucking finger ind in dashed outline the position of the grommet at the orward stroke of the tucking finger;

FIG. 7 is a fragmentary plan view of portions of the lpparatus in positions shown by the solid outline in IG. 6;

FIG. 8 is a fragmentary plan view of the portions f the apparatus in positions shown by the dashed outline n FIG. 6, illustrating a subsequent step in the operation hereof, wherein spring-actuated pliers have engaged the grommet to capture a tucked portion of the top flange within the central aperture of the grommet;

FIG. 9 is an exploded view showing a subsequent step in the operation, the tucking finger having returned to its disengaged position, the tucked portion of the grommet captured -by the pliers and an apertured workpiece directly above the grommet;

FIG. 10 is a sectional view taken substantially along the lines til-dd of FIG. 8 in the direction of the arrows and also illustrating the workpiece being placed over a deformed upper flange of the grommet; and

FIG. ll is a view showing the grommet seated within an opening in the workpiece.

Referring now to the drawings, and in particular to FIG. 2, apparatus illustrating a specific embodiment of the invention includes a base housing 12, the bottom of which is open to provide access to various moving parts to facilitate the adjustment thereof. Fixedly secured to the top surface of the base housing 12 is an air cylinder 14 provided with a piston 15, a plunger 16, and a coiled return spring 17. Attached to an inlet port on the air cylinder 14 is a hose 1% which communicates with a supply of compressed air (not shown) through a normally closed, foot-operated valve 26*.

The plunger 16 is provided at its free end with a square collar 29. The end of the plunger 16 is received. within a bore 21 provided in the square collar 20 and is attached pivotally to a tucking finger 24 by means of a dowel pin 25, which also connects the end of the plunger to the square collar. The bottom surface of the square collar 2%) is slidably supported by a bearing surface 29 provided on a cam block 28.

The cam block 23 is mounted fixedly to the top surface of the base housing 12. As may be seen, particularly in FIGS. 1 and 2, the tucking finger 24 is elongated and provided with a depending cam follower 32 intermediate the ends thereof, which contacts slidably the bearing surface 29 of the cam block 28. The tucking finger 24, which is connected pivotally to the free end of the plunger 16 and the square collar 20, is urged downwardly resiliently against the bearing surface 2? of the cam block 28 by a flat leaf spring 36 suitably secured to the square collar 24 The free or leading end of the tucking finger 24 is reduced in cross section and provided with a generally V-shaped notch 33 located at the bottom of its leading edge, FIG. 5.

Secured rigidly to the top surface of the base housing 12, by a threaded fastener 39, is a hollow, generally cylin drical grommet supporting and positioning column 46. The top of the column 40 is counterbored to provide an annular recess 41, FIG. 1, designed to receive a soft rubber grommet 42 and to position the grommet accurately with respect to the tucking finger 24 The rubber grommet 42 is of a conventional type which is generally cylindrical and tubular in shape and has a central aperture 43 extending therethrough. The grommet 42 (see FIG. 5) is provided with an exterior peripheral groove 44 which separates the grommet into two peripheral flanges 45 and 46, joined together by a shank 47 of reduced diameter. The top flange 45 and the bottom flange 46 of the grommet 452 are substantially larger in diameter than the diameter of a circular opening 48 provided in a workpiece 49 (see FIG. 9), whereas the diameter of the shank 47 of the grommet is equal to or less than the diameter of the opening. The grommet 42 is formed from a relatively soft resilient material, such as natural rubber, neoprene compound, or the like, which may be readily deformed by the application of a suitable force.

When the grommet 42 is properly seated in the recess 41, formed in the column 40, portions of the lower flange aoeasoe 2. The method of inserting an apertured resilient grommet into an opening formed in a workpiece, said grommet having enlarged peripheral flanges at either end thereof larger in diameter than the diameter of the opening in the workpiece, which method comprises engaging a first portion of one of the said flanges and tucking said portion into a central aperture in the grommet, compressing other portions of the last-mentioned flange adjacent to said first portion thereof to capture the first portion in its tucked position and cause the eflective diameter of the thus deformed flange to be substantially less than the opening in the workpiece, inserting the deformed flange through the opening in the workpiece and releasing the grommet to allow the deformed flange to assurne its original shape and seat the grommet portion between said flanges within the opening.

3. The method of inserting an aperture resilient grommet into an opening formed in a workpiece, said grommet having enlarged peripheral flanges at either end thereof larger in diameter than the diameter of the opening in the workpiece, which method comprises engaging a first portion of one of the said flanges and tucking said portion radially and axially into the central aperture in the grommet, compressing diametrically opposite portions of the last mentioned flange on either side of the first portion to capture the first portion in its tucked portion and cause the effective diameter of the thus deformed flange to be substantially less than the opening in the workpiece, inserting the deformed flange into the opening formed in said workpiece, and releasing the last mentioned flange allowing it to return to its original shape thereby seating the grommet portion between said flanges within the opening of said workpiece.

4. A resilient grommet having an axially extending aperture and a pair of spaced outer circumferential flanges wherein a peripheral portion of one flange is tucked inwardly toward the aperture of the grommet, and a pair of diametrically opposed sections of said one flange are forced inwardly toward the aperture and over said tucked portion to capture said tucked portion thereunder.

5. A resilient grommet having an axially extending aperture and a pair of spaced outer peripheral flanges wherein a first portion of one of said flanges is tucked radially inwardly toward said aperture, and adjacent portions of said flange are compressed inwardly toward said aperture to capture and hold said inwardly tucked portion.

6. A resilient grommet having an axially extending aperture and a pair of spaced outer peripheral flanges wherein a first portion of one of said flanges is moved radially inwardly and axially downwardly, and adjacent portions of said flange are squeezed together over said inward and downward moved portion of said flange to capture said flange in the inward and downward position.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS June 18, 1963 J. R. LEMYRE ET AL 3,093,897

METALLURGY Filed March 15, 1959 6 A TTOR 

1. THE METHOD OF INSERTING A TUBULAR RESILIENT GROMMET INTO AN OPENING FORMED IN A WORKPIECE, SAID GROMMET PROVIDED WITH AN OUTER PERIPHERAL FLANGE HAVING AN EFFECTIVEE DIAMETER EXCEEDING THE OPENING IN THE WORKPIECE, WHICH COMPRISES ENGAGING A FIRST PERIPHERAL PORTION OF THE FLANGE AND TUCKING SAID PORTION INTO THE HOLLOW INTERIOR THEREOF, COMPRESSING OTHER PERIPHERAL PORTIONS OF THE FLANGE ADJACENT TO THE FIRST PORTION TO CAPTURE SAID FIRST PORTION IN ITS TUCKED POSITION AND CAUSE THE EFFECTIVE DIAMETER OF THE THUS DEFORMED FLANGE TO BE SUBSTANTIALLY LESS THAN THE OPENING IN THE WORKPIECE, INSERTING THE DEFORMED FLANGE THROUGH THE OPENING IN THE WORKPIECE, AND RELEASING THE GROMMET TO ALLOW THE DEFORMED FLANGE TO SEAT ON THE OTHER SIDE OF THE OPENING. 